The present invention relates to product checkout systems and more specifically to a transaction processing system which includes a networked produce recognition system.
A typical transaction establishment includes a network of transaction terminals which all obtain price information from a single price file through a transaction server. The price file links item identification information to price information.
The transaction terminals are located at checkout counters, which typically contain bar code readers and which may additionally contain scales, either stand-alone units or integrated with the bar code readers. The bar code readers provide identification information for bar-coded items to the transaction terminals and the scales provide weight information for non-bar-coded items.
Items which are typically not bar-coded and identified by a bar code reader are produce items. Thus, identification of produce items is typically a task for the checkout operator, who must identify a produce item and then manually enter an item identification code. Operator identification methods are slow and inefficient because they typically involve a visual comparison of a produce item with pictures of produce items. Operator identification methods are also prone to error, on the order of fifteen percent.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a produce recognition system which can minimize operator involvement in produce identification and entry into a transaction. It would also be desirable to provide a produce recognition system which can be easily added as an upgrade to an existing transaction processing network. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a network-based produce recognition system.